This invention relates to constraining an airbag during deployment using an externally anchored tether.
Known airbag systems protect vehicle occupants by absorbing forces generated during collisions, for example. Many airbag systems are used in conjunction with other vehicle safety systems, such as seat belts. Safety systems protect occupants located in various positions within the vehicle.
In particular, airbag designs within some safety systems protect both “in-position” occupants and “out-of-position” occupants. Typically, during a collision, an “in-position” occupant directly strikes a generally vertical contact face portion of the airbag, whereas an “out-of-position” occupant does not directly strike the contact face. Balancing protection of “in-position” occupants with protection of “out-of-position” occupants is often challenging. Through the contact face, the airbag absorbs forces from the occupant that are generated during the collision. Directly striking the contact face facilitates force absorption.
Generally, it is desirable to provide a substantially planar vertically-oriented contact face when the airbag is fully expanded, as this orientation enhances absorption of forces from the “in-position” occupant. Although providing a generally planar vertical contact face is desirable when the airbag is fully deployed, airbags may have other orientations during deployment. Some of the other orientations can undesirably strike an occupant as the airbag deploys. Such occupants may include a child standing on the floor of a vehicle in front of a passenger airbag or a child moving toward the front of the vehicle as the passenger airbag deploys.